Refrigerating apparatus



Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND w. TIBBETTS, OI BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AIID MYRON S. CURTIS, OF

' PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

BEFBIGERATIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed December 8, 1919, Serial 110. 843,308. Renewed September 9, 1825.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RAYMOND W. TIB- mz'rrs, of Boston, Massachusetts, and M ron S. CUR'ris, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating A aratus; and do hereby declare that the fo owing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to refrigerating apparatus in which a gas is alternately condensed and expanded, and the object is to provide apparatus of simple and compact construction, economical in its consumption of power to run it, and withal, capable of producing a satisfactory low temperature.

In the drawings is illustrated one embodiment of our invention, in which drawl ig. 1, is a vertical section of such apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a view in section of a desirable form of rotary pump that we may use.

Briefly described, our invention employs a pump by which the gaseous refrigerant, returning from the expansion chamber is compressed and delivered into a condensing chamber to liquef it, and we place the pump within the con ensing chamber, and, by preference, submerge it in the pump lubricating and sealing oil.

Since our invention, in its general em bod-iment, has, as a matter of convenient design, conformed with what is customary in the art (the differences therefrom being pointed out in the claims) ourapparatus includes an expansion chamber 10 in which the refrigerant gas expands to roduce the cooling effect; a pump 11, tow ose intake 390 gas passes from a passage 12 (see Fig. 1) which by a connection that includes pipe, 13 is in communication with the expansion chamber for. conveying the expanded gas therefrom; a condensing chamber l l into which the gas is delivered from the pump:

and a pipe coil 15 within the condensing chamber, through which a cooling medium, such as water, is circulated to effect the condensatiou of the gas, said condensing chamber 14 having an outlet 16 in its bottom from which a pipe 17 runs to the expansion chamber to convey the condensed refrigerant gas thereto.

We place the pump 11 within the condensing chamber, and it is conveniently mounted on the detachable end wall 18 of said chamber, which, on the outside, has a stufiing box 19 through which the pump shaft 20 extends to an external motor (not shown). Contiguous to the pump, a vertical partition 21 rises from the bottom of the chamber 14, to substantially mid-height thereof, thus producing within the chamber an oil well or sum into which the pump outlet 22 delivers the mingled gas and oil. Oil enters the pump through an inlet 23 leadingfrom sald sump into the pump, the pump being preferably submerged in the oil in the sump.

Interposcd within, or forming part of the pipe connection between expansion chamber and pump, is a passage,.0r chamber 24 in .a box or fitting 25, which at one end has a screw connection with the pipe 13 and at the other end has a screw connection with the pump intake 12, and within said chamber is acheck valve 26 that opens towards the pum At a point between the check valve an pump intake, the chamber contains a diaphragm 28, exposed on one side to or infiuenced'by the pressure within the chamber 24. On its opposite side the dia-- phragm carries a valve 29, which, when the dlaphragm is released, uncovers a seat 30, in a passage 31 to which the inlet pipe from a source of water is connected and from the same side of the diaphragm as that having the valve, a port or passage 32 leads, to which is connected the pipe 33 to the inlet end of the cooling coil 15 having an outlet, 150. When the pump is running, the consequent reduction of pressure in the chamber 24 keeps the check valve 26 open and there is a continuous fiow of the gas to the pump, and the pressure on the diaphragm is not enough to seat its valve 29, so that there is, at the same time, a com tinous flow of cooling liquid through the coil 15. When the pump is not running, the gas pressure in the chamber 24 seats the check valve 26, to revent back flow of gas, and moves the iaphragm to seat its valve 29, and cut oil the flow of cooling liquid. Thus, automatically according to whether the pump runs or stops, the flow of cooling liquid is emitted, or cut off, and, hence, such liqui is supplied only when the apparatus is in operation.

The pump maiybe water-jacketed or not, andibe of any esired construction, and if of rotary type,it' may have the construction oil and gas caving .the gas, passing around the bafile, emerges from the pump through its eduction port and enters the condensing chamber. Oil is admitted to the gears by the port 39, so

roportioned as to supply only sufiiclent for ihbrication and sealing, and gas 1s drawn by the ump through the port 390.

T e location of the pump and the oil and gas separating means withln the condensmg chamber, makes a simple and compact structure. It also has the important advantage that while most of the 'gas liquefied by contact with the coolin coilfalls to the bottom of the chamber, outs1de the oil well, or sump, some will fall on the pump, or on the oil. If the pump and oil are warm enough, (and their temperature is raised by the running of the apparatus) the refrigerant will at once return' to its gaseous state, and thus cool pumpor oilr Should the refrigerant remain liquid, it will be drawn along with the oil into the pump, and as the interior of the latter -will always be warm enough to eva orate the liquid refrigerant, the latter witiiin the ump will'become a as andexert a coolin 'e ect on pump and 01 a A nee le valve, 41, controls theflow of the condensed as through pipe, 17, into the expansion c amber. Of course, we do not restrict ourselves .only to such an embodiment of our invention as we have shown and described herein, as not that embodiment, but the scope of the claims is the measure of our protection.

We claim 1. A gas usin refrigerating apparatus having a condensing chamber with two compartments side by side and in communication in the upper part of the chamber, one of such compartments being an oil well, a pump within said chamber having an outlet for mingled oil and gas with its discharge 'end located to deliver mingled oil and gas to the. oil well and a passage being provided leadin into .the pump from such oil well where y the well contents enter the pump, and'gas condensing surfaces in the u per part of, the condensing chamber above th compartments therein.

2. A gas using refrigerating apparatus having a condensing chamber, a vertical partition reaching artway to the top of the chamber and sul -dividing the chamber into two compartments one of such compartments being an oil well, a pump within such chamber, an opening being provided from the oil well into the pump, an outlet from the pump'for oil and refrigerant taken into the pump, said outlet having its discharge end located to direct mingled oil and re frigerant into said oil well, and a condensing coil within the chamber with portions in each of said compartments. 1

3. The combination of a chamber into which a refrigerant gas to be condensed is 4. A gas using refrigerating apparatus having a chamber, a partition separating such chamber into two adjoining compartments one of such compartments constituting a lubricant well, said compartments being in communication, a pump within such chamber having an outlet for mingled lubricant and refrigerant with it's discharge end located to deliver mingledlubricant and re frigerant into the chamber and the being in communication with said well to receive the contents thereof, means to condense gas discharged from said outlet into the condensing chamber so arranged that a portion of the condensed gas will be delivered to said well and means to deliver the remaining portion of the condensed gas to the exterior of said condensing chamber.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing, we have hereunto set our hands.

RAYMOND W. TIBBETT S.

MYRON S. CURTIS. 

